Jobless rate falls in Southern Nevada

Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999 | 10:52 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Unemployment inched down to 4.4 percent in Southern Nevada in September as the area posted strong growth in casino jobs during the past year, the state reported Wednesday.

There were an estimated 32,500 out of work in the Las Vegas metropolitan statistical area, which includes Clark and Nye counties in Nevada and Mohave County in Arizona. The jobless rate of 4.4 percent is down one-tenth of a percentage point from from August.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported the Southern Nevada casino industry had 18,900 more employees this September than a year ago, an increase of 11.3 percent. Casinos such as Bellagio, Venetian, Paris, Mandalay Bay and Resort at Summerlin opened in this 12 month period.

While unemployment declined slightly in the Las Vegas area, it remained at 4.2 percent statewide, the same as in August but three-tenths of a percentage point higher than September 1998. There were an estimated 39,600 jobless.

The department said Nevada was equal to the national rate and seven-tenths of a point below California's 4.9 percent.

In talking about job growth, Department Director Carol Jackson said, "Nevada continues to create jobs at a highly respectable rate." She said the state is "the envy of most of the rest of the U.S."

"Most of that job growth is fueled predominantly by business in the greater Las Vegas area. Two-thirds of all jobs in Nevada are in Clark County," she said.

The department said total employment in the Las Vegas metropolitan area reached 713,200, up 6.5 percent from a year ago.

The number of construction jobs grew by 4.3 percent; manufacturing was up 3.5 percent; trade increased by 5.2 percent; transportation and public utilities jumped 6.9 percent and government employment rose by 4 percent.

The only segment of the economy that remained stagnant in Southern Nevada was mining, which accounts for a relatively small 2,100 workers.

Statewide, the department said there were 985,600 people employed in September, up 5 percent from a year ago.

Construction jobs rose 2.9 percent; manufacturing was up 2.1 percent; transportation grew by 6.4 percent; trade increased 6 percent; hotel employment jumped 8.1 percent and government jobs rose by 2.9 percent.

Unemployment in Washoe County dropped to 2.8 percent, down two-tenths of a point from August. There were an estimated 5,000 people out of jobs. And total employment rose to 191,000, up 2.7 percent from September 1998.

The Carson City area, which includes Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties and Carson City, registered a 4.1 percent unemployment rate, down two-tenths of a point from August. There were 2,240 people out of work. And total employment was reported at 53,000, up .8 percent from a year ago.

Elko and Eureka counties posted a 3.7 percent unemployment rate with 800 people out of work. That's a drop of three-tenths of a point from the previous month of August. Total employment was 20,570, down 2.4 percent from a year ago in September.

The department also reported quarterly figures for the remainder of the rural counties, showing Storey County the lowest at 2.9 percent while Esmeralda County was highest at 11.5 percent. The rate for White Pine County was 3.1 percent; Lincoln County 5 percent and Nye County 4.6 percent.